What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC indicated the touchdown was uneventful. 3-point landing. Slight tailwheel shimmy, and aircraft began to veer left. PIC corrected with additional right rudder, little effect, added power, more veer to the left. Attempted to correct drift with right brake, over compensated, added small amount of left brake. Aircraft tail became airborne and aircraft flipped over, coming to rest in the top of wings, fuselage roof, and top of rudder.
While the pilot was waiting for FAA approval to move the aircraft, a local pilot noticed the right tailwheel spring was missing. Several local pilots combed the runway and found the right tailwheel steering spring appx. 300-400 feet prior to the resting point of the aircraft.
Per request of the NTSB, both tail wheel springs sent to the NTSB for further examanation.
As the FAA filed it
PIC INDICATED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS UNEVENTFUL. 3-POINT LANDING. SLIGHT TAILWHEEL SHIMMY, AND AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER LEFT. PIC CORRECTED WITH ADDITIONAL RIGHT RUDDER, LITTLE EFFECT, ADDED POWER, MORE VEER TO THE LEFT. ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT DRIFT WITH RIGHT BRAKE, OVER COMPENSATED, ADDED SMALL AMOUNT OF LEFT BRAKE. AIRCRAFT TAIL BECAME AIRBORNE AND AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER, COMING TO REST IN THE TOP OF WINGS, FUSELAGE ROOF, AND TOP OF RUDDER.
WHILE THE PILOT WAS WAITING FOR FAA APPROVAL TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT, A LOCAL PILOT NOTICED THE RIGHT TAILWHEEL SPRING WAS MISSING. SEVERAL LOCAL PILOTS COMBED THE RUNWAY AND FOUND THE RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING SPRING APPX. 300-400 FEET PRIOR TO THE RESTING POINT OF THE AIRCRAFT.
PER REQUEST OF THE NTSB, BOTH TAIL WHEEL SPRINGS SENT TO THE NTSB FOR FURTHER EXAMANATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.